By command of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, it is hereby announced that His Majesty has consented that commencing today, the designation of Chief of Adat lstiadat Negara, which is currently held by Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Indera Setia Diraja Sahibul Karib Pengiran Anak Haji ldris bin Pengiran Maharaja Lela Pengiran Muda Abdul Kahar, will be a ministerial-level position.
Members of the public learnt the do’s and don’ts when encountering wild monkeys, particularly long-tailed macaques during a talk by Monkey Guarding, a team of volunteers trained by The Jane Goodall Institute Singapore, hosted by Mabohai Shopping Complex yesterday.
Ineke Evegaars and Alice Vele from Monkey Guarding presented the talk on ‘What To Do When You Encounter A Monkey?’ at the Activity Area of Mabohai Shopping Complex. “Do not have any food exposed; do not eat when monkeys are around; do not hurt or scare monkeys; do not show your teeth, smile or stare at monkeys; do not run; and do not feed the monkey,” said Evegaars, the co-founder of Monkey Guarding.
She added, “Cover up your shopping trolley and use closed bags; put food in a bag and eat in your car instead; ignore monkeys and keep on walking; and dispose waste in closed bins.”
On the monkey situation in the Sultanate, she said, “We are seeing more incidents of monkeys snatching food and items from people. We are trying to raise awareness. The only way to help change the situation is to change customers’ behaviour by covering food and groceries with clothes or closed bags. If a monkey doesn’t see food, they will not approach you.”
Vele said when encountering monkeys it is important to remain calm and keep the monkey in sight.
“If the monkey keeps approaching, you can calmly clap since monkeys do not like vibration. Do not show your teeth or make eye contact as the monkey will view this as a threat and may become aggressive. Don’t turn your back from the monkey.”
On measures against monkeys’ encroaching homes to look for food, she said, “Cover up food in the kitchen or keep food in the cupboard so that the monkey cannot find food. The monkey will notice that there is no food and stop coming to your house.”
Vele added, “We need to respect the monkey. We need to realise that we humans have taken away the monkeys’ habitats and we have to live with them harmoniously. It’s up to us as human to thinks of ways to do so. Our goal is to raise awareness and educate the public.”
The talk aimed to dispel misconceptions and fears surrounding monkeys, fostering a sense of understanding and creating safe boundaries between humans and monkeys in urban areas. – James Kon
ABOVE & BELOW: A section of the participants at the event as Ineke Evegaars and Alice Vele from Monkey Guarding present the talk. PHOTO: SIM YHPHOTO: SIM YH
The Children’s Cancer Foundation (YASKA) committee members and Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital volunteers in a group photo. PHOTO: FADLEY FAISAL
The Children’s Cancer Foundation (YASKA) joined forces with Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital volunteers yesterday joined hands to address common health concerns among children in the Sultanate.
The event, themed ‘Together We Are Stronger’, underscored the collaborative efforts of various government and non-government agencies, along with public participation in raising awareness on various childhood health issues.
Medical professionals, including medical officers, nurses and allied health professionals were on hand to disseminating crucial information to the public.
The focal point was the acknowledgment of childhood cancer as a significant public health challenge, contributing to both child mortality and long-term health complications among survivors.
Additionally, the initiative aimed to highlight preventable health issues such as iron-deficiency anaemia and obesity, advocating for healthy lifestyle practices as effective preventive measures.
Among the topics highlighted was thalassemia, an inherited disorder impeding the production of sufficient and quality blood. The prevalence of thalassemia among individuals of Malay descent in the region underscores the importance of targeted awareness campaigns.
Emphasising the significance of community collaboration, the event sought to strengthen the network between stakeholders, including YASKA committee members, healthcare professionals, volunteers and the community.
A mosque hall was chosen as the venue to maximise outreach across diverse segments of the society and establish the mosque as a hub for health education.
Through collective action, the organisers hoped to draw attention to preventive measures in the hope of achieving better health outcomes for children in the community.
The event also featured leaflets and posters addressing childhood health concerns, information on body mass index (BMI), health-related quizzes and recreational activities to promote health awareness and encourage community participation.
Through direct engagement with the public, the initiative sought to provide foster dialogues on common health concerns between health practitioners and members of the public. – Fadley Faisal
Tourists from Taiwan in a group photo with YASKA members. PHOTO: YASKAThe Children’s Cancer Foundation (YASKA) committee members and Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital volunteers in a group photo. PHOTO: YASKAABOVE & BELOW: Members of the public participate in an activity. PHOTO: YASKAPHOTO: YASKA
Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman and Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Mohd Tashim bin Pengiran Haji Hassan in a group photo. PHOTO: ADIB NOOR
The Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) and its departments held a Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration at Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Arabic School in Kampong Rimba yesterday to foster harmonious relationships among ministry members and instil positive values.
Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman and spouse attended along with Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Mohd Tashim bin Pengiran Haji Hassan.
The event saw the minister and senior officials mingle with converts, youth mosque members and muslimah.
The minister also visited booths set up by departments, divisions and units under the ministry.
The event also featured a lucky draw and the announcement for the grand prize, and the Manzil Jamil (beautiful home/yard) contest.
Permanent Secretary at the MoRA Haji Mohammad Rosli bin Haji Ibrahim, Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary (Administration and Finance) at MoRA Misle bin Haji Abdul Karim, Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary (Policy and Religious) at MoRA Haji Hardifadhillah bin Haji Mohd Salleh and Ra’es of Religious Teachers University College of Seri Begawan (KUPU SB) Associate Professor Dr Abdul Nasir bin Haji Abdul Rani as well as directors, officers and staff also attended. – Adib Noor
Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman and Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Mohd Tashim bin Pengiran Haji Hassan in a group photo. PHOTO: ADIB NOORThe deputy minister at the Raya celebration. PHOTO: ADIB NOORABOVE & BELOW: Attendees at the Raya celebration. PHOTO: ADIB NOORPHOTO: ADIB NOOR
Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman and Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Mohd Tashim bin Pengiran Haji Hassan with participants of the 133rd Munajat. PHOTO: AZLAN OTHMAN
The importance of ‘intelligence of the heart’ as a catalyst to a more meaningful life is crucial, especially in the mission of drawing closer to Allah the Almighty, said Empowerior Counselling founder Major (Rtd) Rusli bin Bujang as the counselling association’s president in his religious talk on ‘Mekmanai Kecerdasan Qalbu’ at the 133rd Munajat night on Saturday.
He said counselling involves the heart and mind. “In Al-Quran, the word ‘qalb’ is repeated 132 times while the word ‘aql’ is repeated 49 times. This shows how significant the heart is as it is repeated almost three times as often as the aql. This is one of the valuable intellectual skills obtained by counsellors to help their clients.”
Major (Rtd) Rusli highlighted the strength or intelligence of the heart from a psychospiritual perspective.
He believes among the wisdom learnt is the principle and concept of qalbu intelligence, a unique interweaving of psychological and spiritual aspects and practical strategies to develop emotional intelligence and heart intelligence.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) organised the series of Munajat nights.
Brunei Darussalam Counselling Association (PERKAB) members, peer group from Sultan Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien College, mosque takmir committee members, congregants of Brunei International Airport surau and worshippers from nearly 70 mosques, suraus and religious halls as well as the MoRA workforce were present.
The Munajat night aims to invite the ummah in the country to work together to improve their collective spiritual act. – Azlan Othman
Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman and Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Mohd Tashim bin Pengiran Haji Hassan with participants of the 133rd Munajat. PHOTO: AZLAN OTHMAN
Minister of Development Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Muhammad Juanda bin Haji Abdul Rashid; Minister of Transport and Infocommunications Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary bin Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mustapha; and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Nazmi bin Haji Mohamad in a group photo. PHOTO: MOD, MTIC & MCYS
Three ministries – the Ministry of Development, Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications and Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports – conducted a goodwill visit to Ulu Belait to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri and assess rural development in the area.
The visit aimed to strengthen government-community bonds and evaluate rural infrastructure while promoting unity among longhouse communities.
Minister of Development Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Muhammad Juanda bin Haji Abdul Rashid, Minister of Transport and Infocommunications Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary bin Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mustapha and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Nazmi bin Haji Mohamad led the delegation.
The group visited Kampong Apak-Apak, Kampong Sukang and Kampong Melilas, engaging with community leaders and residents.
The ministers emphasised the government’s commitment to improve living standards in rural areas, highlighting ongoing projects such as road construction as well water supply and electricity supply.
During the visit, reading corners were inaugurated at longhouses, offering materials from the Language and Literature Bureau and Islamic Da’wah Centre. Among them are: PASMA reading corner, Pengakap (Suluh Ilmu) reading corner, Maraburong Prison reading corner, Pusat Al-Islah reading corner, Mendaram Longhouse (Belait District), Amo Longhouse (Temburong District) and Semabat (Temburong District) longhouse reading corners.
During the visit, the delegation also focused on mobile and landline telecommunications services implemented in six locations of rural Kuala Belait.
The initiatives are among the efforts to provide inter-connectivity and communications to the areas. The base stations in the locations are fully operational using solar energy to practice green and sustainable energy.
Unified National Networks Sdn Bhd also demonstrated a mobile data speed test and a broadband speed test. Telecommunication companies also participated introducing a network plan to the villagers. – James Kon
Minister of Development Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Muhammad Juanda bin Haji Abdul Rashid; Minister of Transport and Infocommunications Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary bin Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mustapha; and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Nazmi bin Haji Mohamad in a group photo. PHOTO: MOD, MTIC & MCYSABOVE & BELOW: Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary during a data speed demonstration; and Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Nazmi presents a gift to a resident. PHOTO: MOD, MTIC & MCYSPHOTO: MOD, MTIC & MCYS
ABOVE & BELOW: Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Nazmi bin Haji Mohamad in a group photo; and Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary (Administration and Finance) Haji Misle bin Haji Abdul Karim talks to an elderly man. PHOTO: BRUNEI YOUTH COUNCIL
A Ketuk-Ketuk Rumah Terbukan Raya celebration organised by the Brunei Youth Council (MBB) took place at the Games Village recently. The gathering aimed to unite youth from various associations and groups, along with partners and stakeholders from MBB.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Nazmi bin Haji Mohamad was among the attendees. The council also handed over basic necessities to a senior citizen from Kampong Merangking. A delegation visited the elderly man’s home, headed by Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary (Administration and Finance) Haji Misle bin Haji Abdul Karim to better understand his living condition.
ABOVE & BELOW: Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Nazmi bin Haji Mohamad in a group photo; and Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary (Administration and Finance) Haji Misle bin Haji Abdul Karim talks to an elderly man. PHOTO: BRUNEI YOUTH COUNCILPHOTO: BRUNEI YOUTH COUNCIL
Legislative Council member Yang Berhormat Abdul Aziz bin Haji Hamdan hands over a donation. PHOTO: ISLAMIC DA’WAH CENTRE
The Tutong Dakwah Unit, in collaboration with Syarikat Sha-Zan Marine Sdn Bhd, organised a Majlis Songdai Bersama Muallaf at the home of converts Mohammad Sahaidi bin Abdullah and Normi bin Muhammad Sahaidi in Kampong Tanjong Panjang, Tutong District.
Songdai means “let’s go Raya with converts” in Tutong language, signifying a gathering to celebrate Hari Raya with the district’s converts.
The visit led by Legislative Council member and Village Head of Kampong Sengkarai Yang Berhormat Abdul Aziz bin Haji Hamdan saw the presentation of a donation of basic necessities to the hosts. – Lyna Mohamad
Legislative Council member Yang Berhormat Abdul Aziz bin Haji Hamdan hands over a donation. PHOTO: ISLAMIC DA’WAH CENTRE
A group photo in front of Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Bridge.
PHOTO: DUCATI
Over 25 Ducati owners and Ducati Official Club Brunei members participated in the annual Ducati global event, ‘We Ride As One’ recently.
The day commenced with a gathering at the Ducati Brunei showroom, where they visited several landmarks in the Sultanate.
From July 26 to 28, the event will converge enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds at the Misano World Circuit for an experience filled with excitement and camaraderie. – Adib Noor
A group photo in front of Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Bridge. PHOTO: DUCATI
Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health Haji Maswadi bin Haji Mohsin presents a certificate to a recipient. PHOTO: LYNA MOHAMAD
The Brunei Darussalam Red Crescent Society (BRC) under its community programme plans to train 1,000 community first aiders this year, its Secretary General Ir Simon K A Leong said.
He said this at a ceremony where BRC volunteers and sponsors received certificates of appreciation at the Al-’Afiah Hall of the Ministry of Health (MoH) yesterday.
The ceremony was also held to celebrate the Hari Raya Aidilfitri festivities.
Ir Simon said, “Today, we honour and appreciate our volunteers for the commitment and dedication to the BRC, for your time and efforts especially in major events – the royal wedding procession ceremony and the 40th National Day celebration.”
“BRC is defined by the community and humanitarian work. Whatever that is done is for the community, to serve the nation and its people,” he said.
He said BRC is planning to organise an international bazaar in the third quarter for the first time in the Sultanate.
Ir Simon also recalled late president Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mohd Yussof bin Pengiran Haji Bahar’s contribution to BRC.
“Our goal is to build a society that is sustainable and professional, a society that can be depended to be the heartbeat of humanity,” he added.
The event also saw Permanent Secretary at the MoH Haji Maswadi bin Haji Mohsin present certificates to BRC volunteers. – Lyna Mohamad
Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health Haji Maswadi bin Haji Mohsin presents a certificate to a recipient. PHOTO: LYNA MOHAMADBrunei Darussalam Red Crescent Society Secretary General Ir Simon K A Leong presents a certificate. PHOTO: LYNA MOHAMAD
